Temporary Claim- when a tom of equal or higher rank than a she-cat takes her as his mate for either two moon or until she bears kittens. She is not eligible for claiming again until her kits are trainees or, in the absence of kits, another two moons. The she-cat's approval is not necessary-- the claim happens with or without her consent.

Permanent Claim- when a tom and a she-cat both agree to be together forever and announce it to the Clan. Both the tom and the she-cat must agree for it to be valid. The she-cat is then immune to temporary claiming. This is irreversible-- nothing can break it, unless it is revealed one cat was forced to agree.

Mating without a claim- if the female does not bear kits, nothing happens. If she does, the female's kits will be spared, the female most likely killed and the male exiled.

Refusing a claim- this is something, unfortunately, that the female can't really do. The only thing she can refuse is a permanent claim, but the male can just take a temporary claim regardless.

Other rules on claims- a male may NOT take a she-cat more than once in a row. He either has to wait until someone else stakes a claim on her and she bears his kittens, or wait two moons until she is available again.

Note: These rules were originally made when the Clan was dying out from a strange disease. Everyone voted in favor of it, and the rules were never revoked when the illness disappeared.